


Falling

by Grace_The_Fangirl



Series: Fairy Tail Suffering Fics [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: (or romantic idfc), Angst, Blood, Blood Loss, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, No Smut, Oneshot, Pain, Tenroujima Arc, blood swords, i dont really care, natsu and gray are my children, slight AU, this can be gratsu if you want it to be, ultear hurt gray worse than the canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-22 06:51:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11961999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grace_The_Fangirl/pseuds/Grace_The_Fangirl
Summary: Gray had battled Ultear, and while he had claimed victory, he did not emerge unscathed. He had sacrificed a large sum of blood to make those swords, and the large self inflicted wound on his side didn't help much. In the canon when Gray collapsed Erza had caught him. What if she didn't? What if Gray passed out in the middle of the forest. Alone. Slowly bleeding out from the wound in his side.





	Falling

Gray stumbled through the dense forest, nearly tripping over every other stray rock and tree root. His breathing was uneven and shallow. His pale face distorted in pain. His hand was pressed tightly to the deep self-inflicted wound on his side.

He had sealed the bloody gash with ice. A good temporary solution, but he didn't think he could keep up that spell for very much longer.

He was far to low on magic energy to even contemplate some sort of flare or way to alert anyone of his position. Besides, doing that could attract unwanted visitors. He was in no shape to fight anyway.  
It was a pitiful sight, seeing the usually strong and resilient mage so pale and weakened. Base camp was this way. He was sure it was in this direction... at least he hoped so. If he was going the wrong way he doubted anyone one would ever find him, and at this point he figured that being found by Natsu or Erza or someone was his best.. and only hope of survival.

Even if he was heading in the right direction, he wasn't to sure if he could make much farther. He felt like he had walked miles, and in all honesty he probably had. He had lost _far_ too much blood during his fight with Ultear to walk for hours.

What had he been _thinking_ when he froze his blood like that? That was one of the worst decisions he had ever made in his life.

Gray was starting to feel incredibly dizzy and his vision was beginning to dim around the edges.

He leaned against a tree for a moment, his eyes shut tightly.

It just hurt so much. Gray was never one to complain about pain, so he wasn't going to start now or any time soon.

Gray quickly came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to make it to the base camp. The deep wound in his side throbbed with every stumbling step he took. Even with the ice sealing it, he wouldn't last much longer. He was pretty sure it was going to get infected.

Spots danced across his vision, and his legs threatened to give out under him after every weak step forward. His legs nearly did give out at one point when he stepped over a particularly large root, if it wasn't for the branch he had leaned on he would be down already. That seemed like forever ago.

Despite that his body was fighting against him, he pushed forward.

Fight with everything you have until your dying breath. That was part of fairy tail’s motto. So he had to follow it. In the name of his guild and all his morals he had to keep going.

He was going to survive this. Just like he survived that ghastly wound Lyon inflicted upon him back during the entire Galuna island mission. He had survived that, and he could survive this. He isn't going to die here. He wasn't going to die on the sacred lands of his guild. He wasn't going to go out like this...

He wasn't going to die out because he passed out in the middle of the damn woods.

After a couple more excruciating steps he knew there was no fighting it. Exhaustion pulled at him. He took another step forward, his body screaming in protest.

 _This isn't good_ Gray thought. He was now leaning heavily on a tree. He was trembling he suddenly realized. His body was starting to shut down from lack of blood. _everything's getting hazy_ He thought. Gray took a few more half-hearted steps forward, then hunched over. His arms wrapped around his midsection. He felt so ridiculously cold. It had been a long time since the cold actually felt cold. He was to weak to continue forward. _Is this the end?_ He thought sadly as he fell forward, he stared at the trees as he fell, not even moving to catch himself as he hit the ground.

It was a beautiful place to die if he was being honest.

Pain shot through him for a moment, then everything went dark as Gray drifted into unconsciousness.

Nearly 2 hours later, the team sent to fight Master Hades was heading towards the ship, but Natsu stopped suddenly, an alarmed expression on his face.

“I smell Gray” he said bluntly, Lucy eyed him curiously. “And blood…” Natsu murmured as an afterthought. Natsu looked nervous, he turned to Erza, and opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly pure fear flashed across his face. He smelled pain and... Fear. If gray was scared then he had reason to be worried. “He was here… and… I need to go find him. He’s hurt.. Don't know how bad but.. Its not a simple scratch..”

Gray's scent was strong, but appeared to be a few hours old and so heavily mingled with blood it was hard to recognize.

He had to hurry, two hours is a long time for an injured person, no an an injured bleeding person to be alone in a forest full of enemies and wild animals. He ran in the general direction of the smell.

Lucy wondered how he knew that he was hurt, but she simply brushed it off as Dragon Slayer stuff. Natsu's sense of smell was second to none. Except maybe Gajeel or Wendy. She laughed to herself as she imagined them having a smell off. That would be entertaining.

Everyone followed in close pursuit.

Natsu was the one to spot the mage in question. His eyes widened when he saw the battered and bloodied unconscious body of his best friend.

Grays body was black and blue with dark bruises, his clothes bloody and torn to shreds. He had a leaf in his hair.

Natsu felt anger rise up in him, who had hurt him? He stared for a moment, somewhere between shock and rage.. until he was spurred into action by the overwhelming scent of blood that washed over him. It hurt, his nose it was so strong.

Gray was lying in his own blood. He couldn't even fathom just how _wrong_ that seemed. How ungraylike that was. It just didn't seem right.  
But Gray was hurt, badly. Natsu rushed to his side, praying to whatever god he could think of that he was still breathing.

For a moment he panicked, unable to see any visible signs of his chest rising and falling. But then as he stared he saw the ever so weak rhythmical rise and fall of Grays chest.

Despite that his breaths were shallow and weak they were still there. He was alive. That was a huge relief to Natsu.  
Natsu stared at the pale form in front of him. He had never seen the ice mage like this. So weak. So injured. How long had he walked before he collapsed? Natsu wondered.

He gently pried Gray's hand off his blood stained side. Cringing as the half dried blood stuck to his best friends hand.

He had hoped the wound wasn't as bad as it looked, but instead, it was far worse than he had imagined.

He held back a gasp when he saw the deep cut below. He felt sick.

Who dared hurt him like this? The answer was obvious of course. The cross dressing member of the seven kin: Ultear. Whom he had left Gray to fight while he helped Lucy.

He heard Lucy gasp at the ugly wound, and she had plenty a reason to. Natsu grimaced, the wound would leave a huge scar.

Natsu looked up at them, eyes full of pain. He didn't know what to say. By the looks of it no one else did either. It had only been a little over a month since the Galuna island job. Just over a month since the last time Gray was injured this badly.

Since the spell Lyon cast through him damn near killed him. Natsu still could hardly believe that Gray fought with that disastrous wound.

While they had "forgiven" Lyon in the end, he still was extremely bitter over the fact that Lyon had done that.

He shuddered remembering when Gray had recounted how Lyon had targeted the wound during their fight. How the ice bird that shattered directly in the wound had nearly cost Gray his life. He still remembered getting the feeling that he had to go check on Gray, that he was hurt. That he needed help. How he witnessed Gray fall back, his blood trailing in the air after him and his agonized scream.

Natsu grit his teeth, pushing those memories aside. He had to focus on what was going on right now. And right now he had to make sure this snow headed idiot didn't die on him.

He shouldn't have left Gray to fight that cross dressing bastard alone. Natsu gently pulled Gray into his lap, checking him over for any more severe injuries.

There were none too bad compared to the gash on his side, but some that still needed medical attention. He ignored the odd looks he got from Lucy and Happy. He didn't care if he was letting his image of rivalry with Gray slip, Gray was dying and he couldn't afford to lose him. He was really wishing they had brought Wendy with them right now, she would have been great help.  
Grays skin was unnaturally hot for the ice mage, unnaturally hot for anyone for that matter. (Well, not just anyone, Natsu’s temperatures were another level.)

Erza stared at him for a moment, but she wasn't surprised. She had always known that Natsu cared deeply about the ice mage, even if he didn’t show that side of himself often.

“Natsu, let's bring him back to the camp, that wound isn't going to heal itself you know..” Erza said, her voice full of concern. But she was shocked at what Natsu said after. She hadn't realized he felt guilty.

“I shouldn't have let him fight that cross dressing bastard alone!” Natsu said, emotion filling his voice. Lucy’s eyes widened when she heard him speak. She had only ever once heard Natsu talk like that. The time Phantom Lord kidnapped her and she nearly fell to her death. “If it wasn't for her he wouldn't be hurt. He wouldn't be covered in his own blood dammit! I'm going to kill her. I'm going to kill her for hurting Gray” Natsu’s voice was shaking from equal parts rage and equal parts fear. He damn near started panicking when he saw the shirt that had been wrapped around Grays waist was soaked in blood. He was glad Gray had the sense to even attempt to stop the bleeding but it seemingly diddnt do much “He needs blood, we have the same type and-”

“Natsu.” Erza started, leaning down to the fire dragon slayer. “Let's get him back to the camp before we make any rash decisions okay?”

Natsu nodded. He needed to be calm for Gray. He quickly and silently shed his vest and held it to the gaping wound on grays side, wrapping it around the unconscious mages body, covering the wound. He stood up slowly, shifting Gray in his arms until he was completely sure the wound wouldn't be aggravated when he walked, and turned to them slowly. “Keep heading to the ship, ill- ill catch up with you”

  
Natsu seemed scared. Lucy realised finally. She knew how badly Gray was injured but.. Natsu and Gray always fought why was he so worried? He of all people should know it would take far more than this to kill the ice mage. She knew that they were close but he had never acted like this... So.. Nervous. Except for back on Galuna island. She remembered suddenly.

“We are coming with you Natsu” Erza said firmly. Natsu looked like he was going to protest but nodded. There was no arguing with the scarlet haired mage. They started heading back to camp. Erza leaned over to him and whispered in his ear “Gray will be fine, we have Wendy now. This won't be Galuna island again, I promise” Natsu nodded numbly.

Carla swooped down, a distressed expression marring her usually stoic and ladylike features. “While everyone was talking I followed the trail of blood leading here! It seems Gray walked across nearly half the island with that wound.. And what's even more distressing is a bit farther up the beach there is more blood that what's on the ground here!” Carla looked extremely concerned. “If the blood farther up the beach is his then we need to worry about blood loss-”

Natsu had a dazed expression, and he made a sound like he was being choked. Erza turned to Carla with a angry expression, she grabbed the cats paw and pulled her into the woods. "Carla. Natsu is allready freaking out enough, you can tell us what you found later. I dont want Natsu to make any rash decisions right now.. The last time Gray was hurt like this.." Erza took a deep breath "I dont want him hurting himself or worse, accidentally harming Gray. So just dont say anything that might make Natsu do anything rash okay?" This was more of an order than a question. Carla nodded and they rejoined the group.  
When Carla said he had walked across half the island like this Natsu felt like he had been slapped. Gray had managed to walk over 3 miles with a wound like this? His grip on the ice mage tightened. “We will worry about that when we get to the camp, okay?” Erza said calmly. Natsu nodded numbly.  
Lucy watched Natsu curiously, she placed a hand on his shoulder encouragingly. She smiled warmly at Natsu, he nodded in response. "He'll be okay Natsu, dont worry"

Levy was the first to see them. She looked confused until her eyes landed on Grays limp form. Wendy ran over, and her mouth formed a worried o shape. "Is he okay?" she asked, staring at Gray. Natsu started to reply but Erza started talking first.  
"No, he isn't. We need you to heal him Wendy"  
Natsu nodded, carrying him over to where the injured were. He set him down next to the rest.  
Wendy knelt next to him, healing the wound to the best of her ability. Natsu watched as the wound closed, but Wendy still looked worried. “I managed to close the wound but he… he lost a near fatal amount of blood and-”

“we have the same type, use mine.” Natsu stated. Wendy nodded.

Nearly an hour later, they were remaking the team to fight Hades, that's when they heard Gray speak. “You guys.. Planning without….me..?” Natsu turned around so fast he nearly fell over, he was next to the ice mage in a literal flash, pulling him into a bear hug, avoiding the wound. Gray looked shocked at first, but smiled. “Never scare me like that again ice princess” Natsu muttered. Gray frowned, a worried expression. It wasn't often Natsu acted like this. And admitting he was scared? Just how badly injured was he.. he didnt remember much about what happened. “Okay flame brain…” Gray whispered, shocked that Natsu was actually hugging him. Natsu wasn't ever like this. He felt dread fill him when Natsu continued. “It was Galuna island all over again… you were just there in your own blood and… Gray I thought you were dead… I thought…”

“Natsu… i'm not dead and i'm not going to die... Okay? I'm sorry I scared you…” Gray weakly hugged the Fire Mage back, not really sure how to react. Natsu pulled away, smiling weakly. Gray was shocked at how visibly shaken Natsu looked. The fire mage never looked like that. He never had that haunted look in his eyes. “Gray… you nearly died of blood loss… if I wasn't here.. You would have… you would have…” Gray finally realized the depth of the situation. the last thing he remembered clearly was talking to Ultear. He smiled weakly at Natsu. “Oi fire breath, didn't know you were such a sap, i'm fine see?” he smiled at the fire mage. Natsu took a shaky breath, but grinned after a moment. “Glad your okay Popsicle breath” then pulled Gray into another tight hug.

**Author's Note:**

> Part 1 of my Fairy Tail Suffering Fic thing idk


End file.
